Coaster



' (No Model.) 2"Sheets--'Sheet 1.

J. P. NEWBURG.

GOASTER.

No. 411.255. Patented Sept. 17, 1889..

v Egg Q i A (No Model.) 2 Shee-ts-Sheet 2.

J; P. NEWBURG.

GOASTER.

No. 411,255. Patented Sept. 17, 1889. v

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I. NEIVBURG, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

COASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,255, dated September 1'7, 1889.

' Application filed October 23, I888. Serial No. 238,973. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN P. NEW BURG, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coasters or Inclined Pleasure-Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in coasters or inclined pleasure-railways5 and the main feature of the invention consists in an inclined track or way erected near a lake, river, or any other suitable body of water and a car or toboggan in the form of a boat adapted to move or slide downwardly over said incline mainly by the force of gravity, and at the foot of the incline to enter and float upon the body of water as it is propelled by the momentum acquired in its descent over the inclined railway. Besides this main feature certain novel means are employed in carrying out my invention, as hereinafter described...

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodying my invention, Figure l is a side, elevation of the inclined railway and of aboat-shaped car or tohoggan thereon. This figure also shows the location of the inclined railway with reference to both the land and a body of water. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the parts shown at Fig, 1; Fig. 3, a rear elevation of the car or toboggan and sectional elevation of the inclined railway; Fig. l, a perspective, Fig. 5 a side elevation, and Fig. 6 a bottom plan, seen from below, of the car or tohoggan; Fig. 7, a rear elevation of the car or toboggan, also showing a waterspurting attachment and a sectional elevation of the track-rails,

The inclined railway A may be constructed of any suitable material desired, and maybe formed of posts a and braces a a as shown, or in any desired or preferred manner, asI do not limit my claims to any specific construction thereof. It is preferred, however, that this railway have a covered top B, as shown, which will form a walk for ascending or de scending it. The descent at the higher portion of the railway is very rapid, or the incline much greater at that portion of the way than at its lower portion, where the inclina tion to a horizontal plane gradually diminishes until the railway enters the body of water. G approximately in a line with the surface thereof.

The main portion of the railway is shown as erected upon a portion of land D,to which the railw. y is fixed by stakes (Z or in any other suitable manner. Parallel bars E are fixed to the railway A and constitute the rails or track proper, while forming a part of the railway.

' I have shown in the drawings a preferred form of construction for the boat-shaped car or toboggan G, similar in its outlines to an ordinary flat-boat, with its fiat bottom curved or sloped upwardly at its forward end g, so that it will enter the water without any shock or concussion, its rear end g partly sloped upwardly and partly vertical, and with V81". tical or approximately-vertical sides 9 and with seats ll for the passengers. On each side of the toboggan it is preferable, also, to have a spray-deflecting board I, which is broad at its rear end, runs to a point at its forward. end, and which is fixed in position on the car or toboggan, as shown,with its upper edge or side in about same horizontal plane as the top of the boat. These boards will deflect the spray or water outwardly, which is thrown upwardly by the rapid move ment of the car or toboggan, and prevent it striking the occupants thereof. The spray deflected by each board I may be utilized to produce a pleasant effect on the eye by means of a scroll-shaped or convoluted plate 1?, placed at the upper edge or side of each board I, as shown at Fig. '7, which will concentrate the spray and discharge it from the rear end of the scroll in. an ornamental stream. Short curved runners J are fixed to the bottom of the car or toboggan at the same distances apart as the rails E, upon which they are intended to slide, and guard or guide plates K are also fixed to the bottom of the toboggan, which extend below the runners J and, resting against the sides of the rails E, hold the car or toboggan 011 the rails or track E. lhe ends of each plate K next the rail are beveled, as shown at Fi 6. If preferred, small wheels may be used instead of the runners J, and if such wheels are used the guard-plates K may be used with them, or they may have guardflanges, such ashave street-car wheels and other Wheels adapted for use on track-rails.

In operation, the car or toboggan being at the higher part of the inclined railway and the passengers being seated therein, the car load and the degree of inclination of the way i A. I/Vhen the toboggan comes to a standstill in the water, it may be returned to the inclined way and drawn up by ropes, or may be returned to it with ears or poles and drawn up by hand. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an inclined pleasure-railway, in combination with an inclined way and track which is located or erected near a body of water, a boat-shaped car or toboggan adapted, when it reaches the foot of the incline, to enter and float forwardly on the water, substantially as described.

2. In combination with an inclined railway which is located with its foot near a body of water, aboat-shaped car or toboggan adapted to move downwardly over said inclined railway and entering the water at its foot to float thereon and be propelled forwardly thereon by the momentum derived from its descent over the inclined railway, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the inclined railway having rails E, the boat-shaped car or toboggan having runners and guide-plates extending below said runners on its bottom, substantially as described.

4:. In combination with the boat-shaped car i or toboggan, the spray-deflectors fixed to its sides, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the boat-shaped car or toboggan, the spray-deflectors and the convoluted plat-es fixed .thereto, substantially as described.

6. In combination with an inclined railway which may be locatednear a body of water, a I boat-shaped carortoboggan having runners J,

guard-plates K, and spray-deflectors I, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. NEWBURG. IVitnesses:

J. B. OAKLEAF, CHAs. H. Gonsnro. 

